Folding table



Sept. 6, 1932.

A. P. COSTA FOLDING TABLE Filed April 1, 1930 E .1 12 9 a My i6 i5 20 a- .1 A i' 6 17 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 AN'rnoNY'r. cosra'or ATHnNsciioi-iem, AssicNoR '10 BELT-RITE'MANUEACTtIRING COMPANY, or ATHENS,GEOBGIA, A conrormrio'n OFGEORGIA 1 Application filed. April 1,

This invention relates to improvements in folding tables, and more especially to a novel folding card table of the type in which the.

legs fold into a recess on the under side of the top of the table.

Tables of this'type usually have their legs braced by means of folding links, and these links not only loosen and make the table wob- I bly, but they are liable to catch on to the Another object is to furnish a table of this type, in which the legs are braced by a simple and inexpensive means, which will have a longer life than the braces heretofore used.

With the foregoing objects outlined and 1 with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended clalms.

Referring to the drawing, I Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a card table equipped with my improvements, and showing the braces holding the legsperpendicular to the table top.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a fragment of the table, and showing how the brace bows its resilientretaining rod when the brace 1s to be secured to its retaining screw.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing one of the legs and its brace durlng the folding movement of the leg.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of a portion of the table with the legs folded against the under side of the table top.

In the drawing, 5 indicates a table top which, as is usual, is provided around its edge portions, with depending flange bars 6, so as to form a cavity 7 in the under side of the table. Near the corners of, the table,

FOLDING i'iABLE 1930. serial n i idvy'. I I I II angular :metal'bracket s 8 are secured tothe bars 6 by screws 9 and 10, the latter func tioning as pivot pins for the swinging legs 11'. A spacing collar 12 isarranged on each of the screws 10 centbarti. rfflnaccordance with in'y'invention, a rigid brace link 13 is pivotally connected at 14; to: eachleg, and each of'these links has its upper end bentjoverat an angleto the body of the link, toprovide'a head 15 having anaperture to. receivea spring n etal rod 16,. The latter,

between theleg and the adj a as .best shown] Fig.4, pas'se's loosely I through staples" 17 that are secured to the inner si d'e'of the bar 6, and one end of the rod is" p i ted anddriven into thebar, as showniat '18," forthepurpose of anchoring that end of' therod. I The otherend" of the rod,""however, is free to slide in itsretaining staple to take'care of the bowing of thej rod, as shown inFigyQ. Whenever one of the legs 'is foldedfolded,thehead 15 of theflbrac'elinkyslides I along its "corresponding resilient rodp16, and for the purpose 'o'fconnecting the upper end of-the link to one of the side bars, the link has a notch'19inone of its edges to engage a projection orscrew 20, the head of which ex tends inwardly from one of the bars.

In Fig. 1, the links 18 are shown in the position which they occupy when the legs. are supporting the tabletop, and in such position, the rod '16 bears'res'ilien'tly upon the head 15, so as to cause the notch 19 to interlock with thescrew 20. -Now, when thelegs I are 't o be folded, the link is pulled downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and-in this movement, 'the rod 16 is bowed. Then, when the leg is folded, as shown in Fig. 3, the head 15 slides along the rod 16, until the leg comes into parallel relation with its corresponding harem I From the .foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the-art, and I am aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A folding table including a top, a leg pivotally connected to said top, a resilient guide rod connected to said top, and a rigid link having one of its ends slidably connected to the guide rod, and its other end pivotally connected to said leg, said guide rod functioning to secure the leg in folded position under spring tension.

2. A folding table including a top, a leg pivotally connected to said top, a resilient guide rod connected to said top, a rigid link having one of its ends slidably connected to the guide rod, and its other end pivotally connected to said leg, a projection carried by the top, and a notch in the link to engage said projection A folding table including a top, a leg pivotally connected to said top, a resilient guide rod arranged on the under side of the top, a rigid link having a head at one end slidably engaging said rod, and pivotally connected at its other end to the leg, and

- means including the resilient guide rod for securing the link in position for securing the leg to the top.

4. A folding table including a top, a leg having one of its ends pivotally connected to said top, a resilient guide rod secured to the under side of the table, a link having an apertured head through which the guide rod extends, means pivotally connecting the other end of the link to an intermediate portion of the leg, and means including the resilient guide rod for retaining the link in position under spring tension to hold the leg perpendicularly relatively to the top.

- 5. A folding table comprising atop, a leg having one of its ends pivotally connected to said top, a guide ro d having one of its ends anchored to the top, retaining means with which the other end of the rod is slidably connected to permit the rod to bow, a rigid link having one of its ends slidably connected to said rod, and its other end pivotally connected to the leg, and interlocking means in eluding a headed-stud connecting the link to the top.

6. A folding table comprising a top having a bar on its under side, a leg having one of its ends pivotally connected to said top, a resilient guide rod having one of its ends anchored to said bar, means slidably connecting the rod to said bar, said rod being arranged substantially parallel to the bar, a rigid link having one of its ends slidably connected to the rod and its other end pivotally connected to the leg, and means for interlock- 1ijng engagement between the link and said 7. A folding table comprising a top having depending bars on its under side forming an endless flange, an angular bracket secured to each barnear one end of the latter, legs pivotally connected to said brackets, spacers for maintaining the legs inwardly of said bars, a resilient guide rod mounted on the V jectinginwardly from said bars, and notches on the links to engage said screws.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ANTHONY P. COSTA. 

